Month: December 2008

Via Sojourners:

“The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.”

—Frederick Buechner, Whistling in the Dark.

We had 16 people show up to help fill 25 Christmas baskets, designated for 44 adults and 47 children in just under 1 hour. What a night. I got there late, but what I was there for was a great experience.

Elizabeth Collins and Emma Thompson are signed up to provide snacks for coffee fellowship time this coming Sunday, but all the Sundays after that are open. Please sign up if you would like to help. The sign-up sheet is on the pillar by the table where we put the coffee and the snacks.

Supplies have been set out in the basement in preparation for putting Christmas baskets together tonight. We will be preparing Christmas baskets for 25 families beginning at 6:15 tonight. Come and join us.

Via Sojourners:

“A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes … and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent.”

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and theologian (1906-1945) who was imprisoned and executed for his participation in an attempt to overthrow Adolf Hitler.

The trustees decided several meetings ago that at least one of our thirteen bathrooms needed to be handicapped accessible. The bathroom in the brides room was chosen for alteration. The two small doors on either side have been removed and a new, wider door installed in the front. Other modifications, such as a new toilet, will also be made. Dave Larimore has been hard at work on this project.

In talking with the local manager of the Crisis Resource Center, I confirmed that they have folks at the shelter who would like to go to church if transportation could be arranged. So we’re looking for volunteers to provide transportation we need either women or couples to volunteer.

We’ll be putting 25 Christmas baskets together on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 (weather permitting) starting at 6:15 pm. Thanks to everyone who donated food.

Here’s our working Advent—Christmas—Epiphany hymn schedule for 2008-2009:

First Sunday of Advent (November 30)
202 People Look East
203 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed

Second Sunday of Advent (December 7)
211 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
220 Angels from the Realms of Glory
196 Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Third Sunday of Advent (December 14)
221 In the Bleak Midwinter
249 There’s A Song in the Air
238 Angels We Have Heard on High

Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 21)
240 Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
215 To A Maid Engaged to Joseph
234 O Come, All Ye Faithful

Christmas Eve (December 24)
230 O Little Town of Bethlehem
239 Silent Night
246 Joy to the World

First Sunday of Christmas (December 28)
217 Away in a Manger
218 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
219 What Child is This
224 Good Christian Friends, Rejoice
228 He is Born, the Holy Child
229 Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
237 Sing We Now of Christmas
245 The First Noel
227 The Friendly Beasts

Epiphany (January 4)
254 We Three Kings
251 Go Tell it on the Mountain
2095 Star Child

Let us know if we missed anything near and dear to you and yours at johnandjenny@revcollins.com.

This Sunday we’ll be returning to our Peculiar Treasures sermon series. I’ll be preaching on Jospeh the Husband of Mary. The scripture reading will be taken from Matthew 1.18-25.

We’ll be giving $500 to the Crisis Resource Center (formerly Safehouse) for Christmas for the women and children in their care. I’m really pleased by the fact that we were able to get this together in less than 24 hours.

Better is a little with righteousness
than large income with injustice.

—Proverbs 16.8 (NRSV)